Web feeding mechanism



June 9, 1942. A. K. ALLEN 8 ,7 0

WEB FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 24, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR A.K. ALLEN ATTORNEY June 9, 1942. A. K. ALLEN 2,235,790

WEB FEEDING MECHANISM Fild Feb. 24, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR A. K. ALLEN ATTORNEY Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Alton K. Allen, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to The Western UnionTelegraph Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication February 24, 1939, Serial No. 258,147

21 Claims.

This invention relates in general to web feeding mechanisms and moreparticularly to such mechanisms when used in conjunction with page typetelegraph printers so that on the receipt of a predetermined signal atthe end of the message the recording web or paper is automaticallyadvanced an amount which varies inversely with the length of the messagein order that message blanks of substantially uniform length r areformed.

The invention is shown and hereinafter described as being attached toand operating in conjunction with a page printer of the type disclosedin the copending application of P. A. Noxon et al., Serial No. 66,906,filed March 3, 1936, and entitled Telegraph printer; however, theprinciples of the invention may readily be applied to various othertypes of printers.

In telegraph printers of the type mentioned above, the recording paperis usually supplied to the printer from a continuous roll from which itis desired to form message blank of substantially uniform length.I-leretofore the usual practice when employing such a roll of recordingpaper was to record the messages and at the end of each message transmita sufl'icient number of line feed signals to advance clear sections ofthe paper so that each message blank was of substantially uniformlength. As the message blanks came from the printer they were cut ortorn at the proper places to separate the various messages and removethem from association with the printer. Devices have been developed toautomatically advance the paper various amounts at the end of a messageto 'form a blank of standard length in substantially equal intervals oftime or the time required for one or two signal characters. However,since the messages Vary in length the amount of paper to be advanced atthe end of the messages varies, and where varying amounts of paper areadvanced in substantially equal intervals of time, varying amounts ofslippage of the paper occurs. Such arrangements also place an abnormalload on the printer motor. It is therefore one of the objects of thisinvention to provide an attachment for printers of the above type whichin response to a predetermined signal enables the receiving printer toautomatically perform varying numbers of line feed operations, so thatthe total number of line feed operations performed during the receipt ofa message which are those performed in response to line feed signals andthose performed in response to the predetermined signal are equal to agiven number for each message. In this manner the number of line feedsignals for each message are the same and the paper is advanced equalamounts for each message received.

Another object of the invention resides in the simplicity and the easewith which it is attached to the printer of the above type.

Another object of the invention is to free the above mentioned printer,showing some of the more important operating elements and the manner inwhich the attachment comprising the invention is associated andcooperates therewith to accomplish the above objects; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the attachmentcomprising the invention showing the manner in which it cooperates withthe operating elements of the associated printer.

The above mentioned printer is fully described in the copendingapplication Ser. No. 66,906, and the description thereof willhereinafter be limited to its general operation and to the operation ofthe elements which cooperate with the invention. In general, the printerconsists of a constantly rotating power shaft H, Fig. 1 and 2, driven byan electric motor M, to which are clutched various operating cams forone revolution'at a time in conjunction with each character group ofsignals received. The operating cams through appropriate linkages andmechanisms perform the various functions of the printer. A set ofnotched permutation bars l2 shown in section in Fig. 1 are selectivelypositioned in accordance with received code groups by a selectormechanism (not shown) in thewell' known manner and for each combinationof settings of the permutationbars l2, a notch in each of the bars is inalignment with the notch in each of the other bars. Following theselective positioning of the permutation bars l2, a group of drop-inbars l3 are allowed to approach the notched sides of the permutationbars and the one opposite the aligned row of notches is permutation barsI 2.

allowed to pivot a slight amount further than the rest. A bail I4controls the operation of the drop-in bars, which in turn is controlledby a cam (not shown) driven from the main operating shaft I I.Associated with the upper end of each of the drop-in bars I3 is apivoted hook It, each one of which is in turn pivotally attached to anoperating or function control lever in the printer. When a drop-in barI3 enters a row of aligned notches in the permutation bars I2, itengages its associated hook I6 to pivot the same beneath an operatingbail I8. The operating bail I8 pivots on a shaft 23 and is controlledfrom an operating cam I9 on the shaft II to move downward once for eachreceived character group or for each revolution of the cam I9. As thebail I8 moves downward, it engages the actuated hook I6 and through itsassociated operating lever performs a printing operation or a printerfunction depending upon which one of the drop-in bars I3 enters a row ofaligned notches in the When the bail I9 returns to its normal position,the hook it engages also returns to its normal position as at this timethe drop-in bars I3 have returned to their normal positions.

Each printing operation is performed by a type bar operating lever, suchas 2 I pivotally mounted at its rear or left hand end, as shown inFig. 1. Associated with each type bar operating lever 2I is a bell crank22 which by a link 23 operates the associated type bar 24. Anotheroperating lever 26, pivotally mounted at 21, controls the elevation ofthe platen carriage in the well known manner to permit the printing ofeither one or the other of the two characters on each type bar 24. Whenthe lever 26 is actuated in response to the shift signal, the left handend engages a plate 28 on the movable carriage to elevate the same toits shift position. A latch (not shown) thereupon latches the carriagein its elevated shift position and the operation of another operatinglever (not shown) actuates the latch to allow the carriage to return toits lower or unshift position in response to the unshift signal. A linefeed operating lever 29, Figs. 1 and 2, is adapted to perform a linefeeding operation on each operation thereof. The line feed operatinglever 29 is pivoted on a horizontal stud 3| supported in a bracket 32,which in turn is attached by screws such as 33 to a frame member 34 atthe rear of the printer. The lever 29 has an upwardly extending arm 36adjacent its left hand end to which is adjustably secured by a screw 31an arm 38. The lower end of the arm 38 is supported on the stud 3| andthe upper end thereof carries a bail member 39 which extendstransversely of the printer. Associated with the bail 39 is a roller 4Ipivotally supported on the movable platen carriage, indicated. ingeneral by reference numeral 43. The other arm 42' of the bell crank 42has pivotally attached thereto a pawl member 44, which cooperates with aratchet 46 on the platen shaft 41, to rotate the platen shaft apredetermined amount for each operation of the line feed operating lever29. The bail 39 is in operative relation with the roller 4| for anyposition of the platen carriage 43, and therefore the platen shaft 4!can be rotated with the carriage in any of its transverse positions.

The platen shaft 4! has secured thereto for rotation therewith theplaten roller 48 and the recording paper P is held in engagement withthe platen roller 48 by spring biased rollers (not shown) and thereforeeach time the platen is rotated the paper is advanced a correspondingamount.

Pivotally mounted on a shoulder screw 49 extending from the bracket 32is a lever 5I. A leftwardly extending arm. 52 at the upper end of thelever 5I is in alignment with and normally engaged with the right handedge of the upwardly extending arm 36 of the line feed operating lever29. A spring post 53 extending from the lever 5| has a spring 54attached thereto and biases the lever 5I in its normal position.Pivotally mounted on the stud 3| is a ratchet wheel 56 and securedthereto for rotation therewith by screws such as 51 is a circular disc58 which has formed integral therewith a plate or face cam 59. Spacers6| on the screws 5! space the ratchet 56 and disc 58 a slight distanceapart. Pivotally carried in the lower end of the lever BI is a pawl 62which is held by a spring 63 in operative relation with the periphery ofthe ratchet wheel 56. Each time the hook I6 associated with the linefeed operating lever 29 is pivoted beneath the operating bail I8 inresponse to a line feed signal and the lever 29 pivoted in a clockwisedirection as hereinafter described, the lever 5| pivots a slight amountin a clockwise direction. As the lever BI is thus pivoted the pawl 62associated therewith engages a tooth on the ratchet wheel 56 and rotatesthe same an amount equal to the distance between two consecutive teeth.The subsequent return of the line feed operating lever 29 to its normalposition allows the spring 54 to pivot the lever 5| in acounterclockwise direction, whereupon the pawl 62 engages the next toothon the ratchet wheel 56. A flexible member 63', secured to the bracket32 by a screw 64, pivotally carries in the free end thereof a detentroller 65. The roller 65 presses against the periphery of the ratchetwheel 56 and prevents rotation thereof in a counterclockwise directionas the pawl returns to its normal position to pick up another tooth. Forreasons hereinafter apparent, the number of teeth on the ratchet 56 areequal to the number of line feed operations that are necessary toadvance the blank recording paper a distance equal to one message blankand therefore the ratchet 55 makes one complete revolution while therecording paper is being advanced the length of one message blank.

In accordance with the invention a bracket member 6! is secured by meansof screws 68, Fig. 1, to the rear side of a bearing block 69. Thebracket member 61 has a horizontal section II Fig. 2, at its upper endand supported in the section II in horizontal spaced relation are twoshoulder screws #2. Slidably mounted on the shoulder screws I2 is aso-called substantially horizontal blank ejecting control lever I3, inwhich elongated slots I4 permit longitudinal movement thereof within thelimits of the slots as will be hereinafter described. A spring I6, oneend of which is secured to the bracket member 61 and the other to theblank ejecting control lever I3, tends to slide the lever I3 toward theleft. However it is normally maintained in its right hand position bymeans hereinafter described.

Pivotally mounted on a shoulder screw 11 in the left hand end of theblank ejecting control lever I3 is a bell crank I8. With the lever I3 inits normal right hand position as shown in Fig. 1 a spring I9, attachedto the upwardly extending arm 8| of the bell crank, holds the sameagainst a stop pin 82 in the lever I3. When the bell crank 18 is in thisposition the arm 83 thereof is in a substantially horizontal positionfor certain positions of the plate cam 59, as hereinafter described.Pivotally mounted on a shoulder screw 84, Figs. 1 and 2, in the righthand end of the blank ejecting control lever 13 is an inverted L shapedlever 86, the upper leftwardly extending end of which is in alignmentwith the hook I6 associated with the line feed operating lever 29. Aspring 81, secured to the lever 13 and the member 86, normally holds thelever against a stop 88. When the lever 13 is in its normal or righthand position the upper end of the member 86 is a slight amount in frontof the hook I6 on the line feed operating lever 29.

A transverse rod 99 in the printer is adapted, as fully described in theabove mentioned application, to pivot a slight amount in acounterclockwise direction as the carriage moves from its unshift to itsshift position. Likewise the rod 89 pivots a slight amount in aclockwise direction when the carriage moves from its shift to unshiftposition. Clamped to the rod 89 by a screw 9I for pivotal movementtherewith is an arm 92. The arm 92 extends toward the left and pivotallysupports in the free end thereof by means of a shoulder screw 90, adepending link 93. Secured to the lower end of the link 93 by screws 94is the left hand end of a so-called floating lever 96. The floatinglever 96 is guided adjacent its center by a bent slotted section 91 ofthe bracket member 61 and the upwardly extending right hand end thereofhas a bifurcation 98 therein. A predetermined one of the type baroperating levers 2I is engaged in the bifurcated end of the floatinglever 96 and in the preferred embodiment of the invention it is theoperating lever which controls the operation of the F typebar. A spring99, one end of which is attached to the floating lever 96 and the otherto the blank ejecting control lever 13, normally tends to pivot thefloating lever and link 93 in a counterclockwise direction about theshoulder screw 90. Another spring I9I vertically disposed is secured toa catch I02 on the floating lever 96 and tends to elevate the front endthereof. The catch I02 is adjustably attached to the floating lever 96by screws such as I03 and a wedge-shaped portion I04 thereof is inoperative relation with a notch I06 in the underside of the blankejecting control lever 13 disposed thereabove. The wedge-shaped portionI04 and the notch I09 cooperate at predetermined times, as will behereinafter described, to hold the blank ejecting control lever 13 inits forward or right hand position.

In the forward end of the stud 3| is a horizontal hole perpendicular tothe axis thereof and slidably mounted in the hole is a plunger I01. Theplunger I91 is in the same horizontal plane as the shoulder screw 11 onthe blank ejecting control lever 13. A compression spring I 98 coiledabout the plunger I01 tends to slide the plunger toward the right andkeeps the end of the plunger in engagement with the inside surface ofthe plate cam 59.

In Fig. 1 the plate cam 59 is shown in the position it assumes when therecording paper is in position to have the first line of a messagerecorded thereupon. In this position of the plate cam 59 the gap thereinis opposite the right hand end of the plunger I01 and the right hand endof the plunger is in engagement with the left hand end of the arm 83 ofthe bell crank 18. A stop I09 on the left hand end of the plunger I01limits the amount of movement of the plunger toward the right and thespring I08 on the plunger is of sufiicient strength to overcome thestrength of the spring 16 tending to move the blank ejecting controllever 13 to the left, and therefore the lever 13 is held in its righthand position.

Let is be assumed that a message is received and that it required eightlines to record it on the recording paper, accordingly during receipt ofthe message there will be seven line feed operations which willleave therecording paper with the last line of the message in printing position.The first line feed operation during the receipt of the message causesthe plate cam 59 and ratchet wheel 56 to rotate as hereinbeforedescribed in a clockwise direction the distance of one tooth on theratchet wheel. As the plate cam 59 is thus rotated, the leading edge IIIthereon engages the upper surface of the end of the arm 83 of the bellcrank 18 and pivots it a slight amount in a counter-clockwise direction.At the same time the leading edge III of the plate cam 59 passes infront of the right hand end of the plunger I01, the adjustment of thestop I 09 being such that the right hand end of the plunger is justclear or to the left of the leading edge II I of the cam 59. As the bellcrank 18 pivots in a counter-clockwise direction as above described, thearm 83 thereof is no longer in line with the direction of movement ofthe blank ejecting control lever 13 and therefore the attached spring 16is allowed to move the same a slight amount toward the left or until theend of the wedge-shaped portion I04 of the catch I02 engages thevertical section of the notch I06. The catch I02 therefore stops furthermovement of the blank ejecting control lever 13 toward the left. Thismovement of the blank ejecting control lever 13 toward the left is notsufficient to allow the end of the arm 86 to engage with the front sideof the hook I6 associated with the line feed operating lever 29 andtherefore the hook I6 on the line feed operating lever continues to beunder the control of its associated drop-in lever I3.

Each succeeding line feed operation performed in response to a line feedsignal of which there are seven for the assumed message, rotates orsteps the ratchet wheel 56 and plate cam 59 one tooth for each line feedsignal and at the end of the message the ratchet wheel 56 and cam 59will be an amount equal to seven teeth from their normal position.

If it is assumed that eighteen line feed operations are necessary toadvance the recording paper an amount equal to the length of onetelegraph blank, then for the assumed message of eight lines in whichthere were seven line feed signals, eleven more line feed signals arenecessary to advance the recording paper the length of one telegraphblank for such a message. In accordance with the invention, as willhereinafter be described, the transmission of a predetermined signalcauses the recorder to perform successive line feed operations until thetotal number of line feed operations performed in response to line feedsignals during the receipt of the message itself and those automaticallyperformed in response to the predetermined signal equal a given number,which in the assumed case is eighteen. The predetermined signal whichinitiates the successive line feed operations in accordance with theinvention is a shift of F. Such a signal, as well known in the art, isan F signal code combination received with the recorder in a shiftedposition. Therefore at the end of the message a shift signal istransmitted if the printer happens to be in an unshift signal and isfollowed by a code combination representing the letter F. Ashereinbefore described the shift and unshift signals elevate anddepress, respectively, the platen carriage 43 so that lower and uppercase characters can be recorded and during such movement of the platencarriage the rod 89 rotates a slight amount in a counter-clockwisedirection in response to shift signals and a slight amount in aclockwise direction in response to unshift signals. As the rod 69rotates in a counter-clockwise direction the lever 82 rotating therewithdepresses the link 93 and the left hand end of the floating lever 96.During such movement of the floating lever 96 the wedge-shaped portionI04 on the catch 1B2 attached adjacent the center of the lever 96 actsas a pivot point and consequently the forward right hand end of thefloating lever rises. This upward movement of the right hand end of thefloating lever 95 places the bottom of the bifurcation 98 in the lever96 in engagement with or a slight amount below the lower edge of the Ftypebar operating lever 2| to operate therewith as will hereinafter bedescribed. When the platen carriage 34 is in its unshift position thebottom of the bifurcation 98 in the right hand end of the floating lever98 is an appreciable amount below the bottom edge of the F typebaroperating lever 2! and during the operation of the lever 2| with thecarriage in this position it does not engage the bottom of thebifurcation 98. the lever 2| with the carriage in its unshift positionhas no effect on the floating lever 96.

With the right hand end of the floating lever 96 elevated, as describedin response to a shift signal, the next time the F operating lever 2| isactuated downward, the lower edge thereof engages the bottom of thebifurcation 98 and pivots the floating lever downward with the shoulderscrew 90 at the upper end of the link 93 serving as a pivot point. Thismovement of the floating lever 96 lowers the catch I62 attached theretoand withdraws the wedge-shaped portion Hi4 from out of engagement withthe notch H36 on the lower edge of the blank ejecting control lever 13.Thereupon the spring E6 attached to the lever 13 is allowed to slide thelever toward the left to some such position as shown in Fig. 2, aslimited by the slots l4 therein engaging the shoulder screws 12.

As the blank ejecting control lever 13 moves to the left the arm 85 onthe forward end thereof engages and pivots the hook I6 associated withthe line feed operating lever 29 beneath the operating bail l8 and aslong as the lever 13 remains in this position the line feed operatinglever 29 will be operated to perform a line feed operation, ashereinbefore described, each time the bail 18 operates. A dependingsection H2 of the blank ejecting control lever 13 has adjustablyattached thereto, by screw such as H3,

an auxilary clutch trip lever H4. The trip lever H4 has a hook H6adjacent its forward end, which is in operative relation with the mainoperating clutch throwout lever H1. The throwout lever H1 is pivotallymounted on a rod H3 and it cooperates with a throwout cam N53 to controlthe operation of a toothed or positive drive clutch indicated in generalby reference numeral [2| in the well known manner. Normally the throwoutlever H1 is operated by a Therefore the operation of cam I22 rotated inresponse to the start signal of each code group to release the operatingcam such as [9 for one revolution at a time. However when the blankejecting control lever moves into its left hand position the hook H8engages the throwout lever H1 and holds it in an operated position aslong as the lever I3 remains in its left hand position. Therefore thetoothed clutch |2i remains engaged and the operating cams such as l'9continue rotating as long as the lever 13 remains in its left handposition.

During each revolution of the cam IS the print bail H3 is operated andsince the hook IS on the line feed operating lever 29 is at 13315 timeheld in operative alignment with the bail IS, a line feed operation willbe performed during each revolution of the cam 59 for the abovedescribed conditions. As described above, each line feed operationcauses the ratchet wheel 56 and plate cam 59 to be rotated a distanceequal to one tooth on the ratchet 56 and as the cam 59 rotates the innersurface thereof which is of progressively decreasing radius and inengagement with the right hand end of the plunger I61, slides theplunger toward the left. This movement of the plunger it! compresses thespring IEEB, the compression of which, as hereinafter described, isemployed to reset the blank ejecting control lever 53 to its normalposition. When the plate cam 59 has completed nearly a revolution, acutaway section or notch I23 in the outer periphery thereof rotatesopposite the end of the arm 33 of the bell crank 13. With the notch I23in the cam 59 in this position, the spring 19 is allowed to pivot thebell crank 18 against the stop 82 and place the end of the arm 83thereof opposite the end of the plunger m1. This operation occurs nearthe end of a revolution of the plate cam 59 and on the eighteenth linefeed operation since the start of the message the cam 59 completes arevolution. During the eighteenth step of the cam 59 the trailing edgeI24 thereof rotates down past the end of the plunger it? whereupon thespring its is allowed to move the plunger to the right. During suchmovement of the plunger I91 the right hand end engages the left hand endof the arm 83 of the ell crank 23 and as the arm 83 at this time isparallel to the slots M in the blank ejecting control lever it thismovement of the plunger moves the bell crank 18 and the lever 13 to theright, the spring 183 being of sufficient strength to overcome thetension in the spring Iii. When the blank ejecting control lever 13moves to the right, back into its normal position, the arm at the frontend thereof allows the hook IS on the line feed operating lever 29 topivot out from beneath the operating bail l8 and at the same time thetrip lever H4 in moving toward the right allows the throwout lever II!to be operative to disengage the clutch IZI when the operating camscomplete their current revolution.

Thus for the assumed message comprising for example eight lines whereinseven line feed signals were transmitted to perform line feedoperations, the transmission of a predetermined endof-message signal,such as the shift F, at the end of the message will automaticallyinitiate or conditicn the line feeding mechanism to perform elevenadditional and successive line feed operations or so that the totalnumber of line feed operations performed in conjunction with eachmessage received is equal to some predetermined number such as eighteen.In this way the amount of paper fed through the printer for each messageis the same regardless of the length of the message, provided the lengthof the message does not exceed a predetermined length. Obviously if amessage comprising more than eighteen line feed operations was received,the transmission of the end-of-message signal would allow the cam 59 tocomplete a revolution wherein the paper would be advanced an amountequal to some multiple of eighteen line feed operations.

With the above arrangement all that the operator at the sending pointhas to do at the end of the message is to transmit the predeterminedend-of-message signal to form message blanks of equal length whereheretofore the operator had to count the number of lines in the messagetransmitted and then transmit line feed signals until the total numberof line feed signals transmitted equalled a given number such aseighteen.

Another advantage of the above arrangement is that as the operating camI9 is not stopped after each revolution during the performance of thesuccessive line feed operations intiated in response to theend-of-message signal, less time is required for the receiving printerto perform a given number of such successive line feed operations thanwould be required to perform an equal number of line feed operations inresponse to individual line feed signals. Therefore, the abovearrangement eifects a saving in line time and allows the transmittingoperator time for duties such as arranging messages, etc., while thereceiving printer is advancing the message blank in response to theend-of-rnessage signal. Where the line feed operations are thussuccessively performed in response to an end-ofmessage signal, there isno abnormal load imposed upon the printer motor as there would be if alength of the recording paper equal to two or more line feed operationswere advanced in the interval of one signal period. Accordingly, theprinter motor can be of a minimum size. By changing the number of teethon the ratchet wheel 56, the number of line feed operations necessaryfor it to make one complete revolution can be changed and therefore thenumber of line feed operations to advance the recording paper inresponse to a message can be shortened or lengthened. As the selectormechanism of the printer is not operating during other than the first ofthe successive line feed operations it can be operated in response tovarious signals, such as carriage return and unshift signals, permittingthe associated function to be performed concomitantly with one or moreof the successive line feed operations, thereby effecting an additionalsaving in line time. A special operating lever responsive to anend-of-message signal to operate the blank ejecting control lever 13could be employed which operated independently of the shift and unshiftpositions of the printer and thereby advance blank paper with theprinter in either position, the above arrangement of initiating theadvancement of blank paper in response to an end-of-message signal, suchas the shift of F, being chosen merely for the purpose of illustration.

It is obvious, of course, that various modifications of the apparatusshown and described herein may be made without departing from the spiritor essential attributes of the invention, and it is desired, therefore,that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by theprior art or are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In combination with a telegraph receiver havingshift and unshift positions, a recording paper, a line feed operatinglever for advancing said paper through said receiver a predeterminedamount on each operation thereof, said line feed operating levernormally being operative once in response to each received line feed sinal and means operative in response to a predetermined signal with saidtelegraph receiver in one of said shift positions when preceded by atleast one operation of said line feed operating lever in response to aline feed signal for conditioning said line feed operating lever for aplurality of successive operations whereby the number of operationsthereof performed in response to line feed signals and in response tosaid predetermined signal invariably equals a given number.

2. In combination with a telegraph receiver having shift and unshiftpositions, a recording paper, a line feed operating lever for advancingsaid paper through said receiver a predetermined amount on eachoperation thereof, said line feed operating lever normally beingoperative once in response to each received line feed signal, means forrendering said line feed operating lever operative in response to apredetermined signal with said receiver in one of said shift positionsto perform a plurality of line feed operations and means for returningsaid line feed operating lever to normal when the total number of linefeed operations performed in response to said line feed signals and saidpredetermined signal is equal to a given number.

3. In a telegraph machine responsive to received signals and employing arecording web upon which the signals are recorded, a recording webadvancing means adapted to advance said web a predetermined amount oneach cycle of operation thereof, signal controlled means forconditioning said Web advancing means for one cycle of operation inresponse to each received web advancing signal, means responsive toanother predetermined signal for conditioning said medium advancingmeans for a plurality of successive cycles of operation and meansdependent upon the number of cycles of operation of said web advancingmeans when conditioning for operation in response to said web advancingsignals for determining the number of cycles of operation of said Webadvancing means in response to said predetermined signal.

4. In a telegraph machine responsive to received signals and employing arecording web upon which the signals are recorded, a recording Webadvancing means adapted to advance said Web a predetermined amount oneach cycle of operation thereof, signal controlled means forconditioning said web advancing means for one cycle of operation inresponse to each received Web advancing signal, means responsive toanother predetermined signal for conditioning said medium advancingmeans for a plurality of successive cycles of operation, means forperforming said successive cycles of operation of said web advancingmeans when conditioning for operation in response to said predeterminedsignal in less time than that required to perform an' equal number ofcycles of operation when conditioning for operation in response tosuccessive web advancing signals and means dependent upon the number ofcycles of operation of said web advancing means when conditioning foroperation in response to said web advancing signals for determining thenumber of cycles of operation of said web advancing means in response tosaid predetermined signal.

5. In combination with a telegraph receiver positionable into shift andunshift positions in response to shift and unshift signals respectively,a recording paper, a line feed operating lever for advancing said paperthrough said receiver a predetermined amount on each operation thereof,said line feed operating lever normally being operative once in responseto each received line feed signal, means operative in response to apredetermined signal with said telegraph receiver in one of said shiftpositions for successively operating said line feed operating lever aplurality of times and means determined by the number of operations ofsaid line feed operating lever in response to line feed signalsoccurring since the last one of said predetermined signals fordetermining the number of operations of said line feed operating leverin response to the instant one of said predetermined signals.

6. In combination with a telegraph receiver having a shift and unshiftposition, a recording paper, a line feed operating lever for advancingsaid paper through said receiver a predetermined amount on eachoperation thereof, said line feed operating lever normally beingoperative once in response to each received line feed signal, meansoperative with said receiver in one of said shift positions forrendering said line feed operating lever operable to perform a pluralityof successive line feed operations in response to a predetermined signaland means for stopping to operation of said line feed operating leverwhen the total advancement of said recording paper in response to saidline feed signals and said predetermined signal is equal to a givenamount.

'7. In combination, a web, a web advancing means adapted to advance saidweb in the di-' rection of its length a predetermined amount on eachoperation thereof, a first means for conditioning said web advancingmeans for one operation at a time on each operation of said first means,a second means for conditioning said web advancing means for one or moreoperations at a time on each operation of said second means, meansdependent on the number of operations of said first means following thelast operation of said second means for determining the number ofoperations of said web advancing means when conditioned for operationagain by said second means and means for performing said web advancingmeans operations when said web advancing means is conditioned foroperation by said second mean when said operations are more than one inless time than that required to perform an equal number of web advancingoperations when said web advancing means is conditioned for operation bysaid first means.

8. In combination, a telegraph receiver employing a selector mechanismcontrolled by received telegraph signals, a recording web associatedwith said receiver, a recording web advancing means, dual meanscontrolled by said selector mechanism for conditioning said webadvancing means for operation, the first of said means conditioning saidweb advancing means for one operation at a time, the second of saidmeans conditioning said web advancing means for one or more operationsat a time and means controlled by the number of operations of said webadvancing means when conditioned for operation by said first meansfollowing an operation of said second means for determining the numberof operations of said advancing means when conditioned for operation bysaid second means.

9. In combination, a telegraph receiver employing a selector mechanismcontrolled by received telegraph signals, a recording web associatedwith said receiver, a recording Web advancing means, dual meanscontrolled by said selector mechaism for conditioning said web advancingmeans for operation, the first of said means conditioning said webadvancing means for one operation at a time, the second of said meansconditioning said web advancing means for one or more operations at atime, means controlled by the number of operations of said web advancingmeans when conditioned for operation by said first means following anoperation of said second means for determining the number of operationsof said advancing means when conditioned for operation by said secondmeans and means for operating other selector mechanism controlledfunctions during the operation of said web advancing means other thanthe first one of said web advancing operations when said web advancingmeans is conditioned for operation by said second means.

10. In combination with a telegraph receiver positionable into shift andunshift positions in response to shift and unshift signals respectively,a recording paper, a recording paper advancing means for advancing saidpaper through said receiver a predetermined amount on each operation ofsaid advancing means, means for operating said advancing means once inresponse to each of a first predetermined signal, means operative inresponse to a second predetermined signal with said receiver in one ofsaid shift positions for operating said advancing means a plurality oftimes and means for preventing the operation of said advancing means onthe receipt of said second predetermined signal with said receiver inthe other of said shift positions.

11. In combination, a telegraph receiver selectively operable inresponse to received signals, a recording web, a recording web advancingmeans adapted to advance said web a predetermined amount on eachoperation thereof, a counting mechanism having a cycle of operation inwhich it is moved from a normal position through various operatingpositions back to said normal position, said counting mechanism beingmoved from one position to another on each operation of said advancingmeans, means operative on the receipt of each web advancing signal tooperate said web advancing means to advance said counting mechanism toregister the number of said advancing operations and means operative onthe receipt of a predetermined signal to operate said advancing means aplurality of times until said counting mechanism is in said normalposition.

12. In combination, a telegraph receiver selectively operable inresponse to received signals, a recording web, a recording web advancingmeans adapted to advance said web a predetermined amount on eachoperation thereof, a counting mechanism having a cycle of operation inwhich it is moved from a normal position through various operatingpositions back to said normal position, said counting mechanism beingmoved from one position to another on each operation of said advancingmeans, means operative on the receipt of each web advancing signal tooperate said web advancing means to advance said counting mechanism toregister the number of said advancing operations, means op-.

erative on the receipt 'of a predetermined signal to operate saidadvancing means a plurality of times until said counting mechanism is insaid normal position and means for stopping the operation of said webadvancing means when said counting mechanism reaches said normalposition.

13. In combination, a telegraph printer, said printer having variousfunction levers operable in response to various received signals, arecording paper associated with said printer, a line feed function leveroperable once in response to each line feed signal for advancing saidpaper through said printer a predetermined amount on each operationthereof, means responsive to a predetermined signal for initiating saidline feed function lever into one or a plurality of successiveoperations, means dependent on the number of separate operations of saidline feed function lever in response to separate line feed signals fordetermining the number of successive operations thereof when initiatedinto operation in response to said predetermined signal and means foroperating other of said printer function levers during other than thefirst of the successive operations of said line feed function lever wheninitiated into operation in response to said predetermined signal.

14. In combination, a cyclically operable telegraph receiver having aselector responsive to received signals to control the operation thereofsaid receiver normally being operative through one paper feeding cycleof operation in response to each received paper feeding signal codegroup and means for operating said receiver through a plurality ofseparate and succeessive paper feeding cycles of operation in responseto a single predetermined signal code group.

15. In combination a cyclically operable telegraph receiver having aselector responsive to received signals to control the operation thereofsaid receiver normally being operative through one cycle of operation inresponse to each received signal, means for operating said receiverthrough a plurality of separate and successive cycles of operation inresponse to a single predetermined signal and means dependent uponpredetermined of the cycles of operation of said receiver prior to thereceipt of said predetermined signal for controlling the number of saidseparate and successive cycles of operation thereof in response to saidpredetermined signal.

16. In a telegraph receiver selectively controlled by received codecombinations of signals and having a series of operating levers operableto perform various receiver functions, a series of hooks, one associatedwith each of said operating levers, an operating bail normally operableonce in conjunction with each received code combination, said hooksbeing selectively moved into operative relation with said bail toactuate the associated operating lever and normally returning to anormal position out of operative relation with said bail in conjunctionwith each code group, a first means responsive to a predetermined signalfor operating said bail a plurality of times, a second means responsiveto the same predetermined signal for moving and maintaining apredetermined one of said hooks in operative relation with said bailduring the plurality of operations thereof.

1'7. In a telegraph receiver selectively controlled by received codecombinations of signals and having a series of operating levers operableto perform various receiver functions, a series of hooks; one associatedwith each of said operating levers, an operating bail normally operableonce in conjunction with each received code combination, said hooksbeing selectively moved into operative relation with said bail toactuate the associated operating lever and normally returning to anormal position out of operable relation with said bail in conjunctionwith each code group, a first means responsive to a predetermined.signal for operating said bail a plurality of times, a second meansresponsive to the same predetermined signal for moving and maintaining apredetermined one of said hooks in operative relation with said bailduring the plurality of operations thereof and means controlled by thenumber of operations of said predetermined hook prior to the receipt ofsaid predetermined signal for determining the number of operations of.said bail in response to said predetermined signal.

18. In a telegraph receiver selectively controlled by received codecombinations of signals and having a series of operating levers operableto perform various receiver functions, a series of hooks, one associatedwith each of said operating levers, an operating bail normally operableonce in conjunction with each received code combination, said hooksbeing selectively moved into operative relation with said ball toactuate the associated operating lever and normally returning to anormal position out of operative relation with said bail once for eachreceived code group, a rotatable member having a normal position andadapted to be advanced through a predetermined part of a revolution oneach operation of a predetermined one of said operating levers, anoperating cam for said bail normally adapted to make one revolution andstop in a normal position for at least a predetermined length of time inconjunction with each received code combination, means operative on thereceipt of a predetermined one of said code groups with said rotatablemember in any other than said normal position for releasing saidoperating cam for a plurality of continuous revolutions andsimultaneously moving and maintaining the hook associated with saidpredetermined operating lever in operative relation with said bail tooperate said predetermined lever and advance said rotatable member aplurality of times and means controlled by said rotatable member at thecompletion of a revolution thereof for returning said hook to normal andstopping the rotationiof said operating cam.

19. In a telegraph receiver selectively controlled by received codecombinations of signals and having a series of operating levers operableto perform various receiver functions, a series of hooks, one associatedwith each of said operating levers, an operating bail normally operableonce in conjunction with each received code combination, said hooksbeing selectively moved into operative relation with said bail toactuate the associated operating lever and normally returning to anormal position out of operative relation with said bail once for eachreceived code group, a rotatable member having a normal position andadapted to be advanced through a predetermined part of a revolutiononeach operation of a predetermined one of said operating levers, anoperating cam for said bail normally adapted to make one revolution andstop in a normal position for at least a predetermined length of "timein conjunction with each received code combination, means operative Onthe receipt of a predetermined one of said code groups with saidrotatable member in any other than said normal position for releasingsaid operating cam for a plurality of continuous revolutions andsimultaneously moving and maintainin the hook associated with saidpredetermined. operating lever in operative relation with. said bail tooperate said predetermined lever and advance. aid rotatable member aplurality of times, means controlled by said rotatable member at thecompletion of a revolution thereof for. returning said hook to normaland stopping the rotation of. said operating cam and means responsive toother code combinations for moving others of said hooks into operativerelation with said ball during the continuous revolutions, of said bailoperating cam.

20. In a telegraph receiver selectively controlled by received groups ofcode signals, a recording paper adapted to be advanced through said,receiver in the direction of its length, a series. of. operating leversincluding aline feed operating lever for advancing said paper throughsaid receiver a predetermined amount on each operation thereof, anoperating cam normally released for one revolution at a time inconjunction with each code group, a bail operable by said cam, a seriesof hooks one associated with each one of said operating levers andnormally selectively movable beneath said bail to effect one operationof associated levers in response to each associated code group, meansresponsive to a predetermined signal when preceded by at least oneoperation of said line feed operating lever in response to a line feedcode group for releasing said operaitn cam for a plurality of continuousrevolutions and moving and maintaining a hook associated with said linefeed operating lever beneath said bail. during the operation thereof bythe continuous revolutions of said cam, to successively operate saidlever to advance said paper a plurality of times.

21. In a telegraph receiver selectively controlled by received groups ofcode signals, a, recording paper adapted to be advanced through saidreceiver in the direction of its length, a series of operating leversincluding a line feed operating lever for advancing said paper throughsaid receiver a predetermined amount on each operation thereof, anoperating cam normally released for one revolution at a time inconjunction with each code group, a bail operable by said cam, a seriesof hooks one associated with each one of said operating levers andnormally selectively movable beneath said bail to effect operation ofassociated levers once in response to each associated code groups, meansresponsive to a predetermined signal when preceded by at least oneoperation of said line feed operating lever in response to a line feedcode group for releasing said operating cam for a plurality ofcontinuous revolutions and moving and maintaining a hook associated withsaid line feed operating lever beneath sai-d bail during the operationthereof by the continuous revolutions of said cam, to successivelyoperate said lever to advance said paper a plurality of times and meansdependent upon the number of single operations of said line feedoperating lever in response to line feed code groups for determining thenumber of revolutions of said operating cam in response to saidpredetermined code group.

ALTON K. ALLEN.

